/ 29 May 2009

Group of death for USA

Football in the United States is a game that is much closer to rugby than the Confederations Cup tournament that explodes into life on June 14.

To an ardent fan of conventional football, the Americans deserve punishment for stubbornly maintaining that the ”beautiful game” is soccer.

Maybe that is why their 2008 ”Soccer Player of the Year” will be using more of his hands than his feet in the Confederations Cup.

Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard was named the best US player last year and is the most high-profile name in the squad.

The football gods appear to have conspired with a portion of fans baying for US blood as Howard and his lot have been thrown into the ”group of death” that includes World Champions Italy, the mighty Brazil and Africa Champions Egypt.

Although ”soccer” takes a back seat to American football, baseball and basketball, the US has risen to be a respected member of the Fifa family.

Ranked at number 15, they have a proud history to protect coming to South Africa. Since making their debut in the World Cup finals in 1930, the Americans have played in eight World Cup finals and South Africa would be their fourth Confederations Cup appearance.

Coach Bob Bradley has mixed youthful enthusiasm with experience for the tough African safari. America’s leading goal scorer of all time, Landon Donovan, with 37 goals from 108 caps, is a tried and trusted campaigner.

He will be ably supported by the Glasgow Rangers duo of DaMarcus Beasley and Maurice Edu, Monaco’s Freddy Edu and Jonathan Spector
of West Ham. They may not be in the same class as Brazil and Italy, but the US is not short on quality that can cause an upset.

The facts
Name: USA
Nickname: The Yanks, The Stars and Stripes
Coach: Bob Bradley
Captain: Carlos Bocanegra
Fifa ranking: 15
World cup appearances: 8
Confed Cup appearances: 3